Fog brings city to standstill
2007-10-26 10:44
Beijing - Thick fog blanketed Beijing on Friday, reducing visibility to virtually zero and delaying flights throughout northeastern China.
The conditions underlined a warning from the International Olympic Committee that some sporting events at next year's Summer Games in Beijing may have to be rescheduled due to poor air quality.
The Beijing city environmental bureau said in its daily report that the air quality was "slightly polluted", and heavily laden with particulate matter.
The low visibility was due to fog lingering over the city because of light winds, said a city meteorological office spokesperson surnamed Yang. She declined to give her first name.
The majority of domestic flights out of Beijing's Capital Airport were delayed, leaving thousands of passengers stranded according to the official Xinhua News Agency.
A flight of the Airbus A380 superjumbo, which is on a demonstration tour of China, was also delayed, it said.
Beijing is a city still dominated by a coal-fired energy infrastructure, and a rising number of cars has led to gridlock on roads during the daily rush hour.
Vehicles and coal-powered boilers contribute to the amount of particulate matter in the air, as does dust from the numerous construction sites around the city.
Xinhua said the fog forced the closure of major highways into Beijing.
The United Nations Environment Programme, in a review of Beijing ahead of the 2008 Olympics, said air quality in the city has improved in the case of some pollutants, but it may take years to make significant changes.
- AP